Admist the Trees
by Moon Island
Summary: For Halloween Oikawa is invited by an online friend to a special event. At first he declines because he has plans with Iwaizumi, but after learning that his crush Iwaizumi is dating someone, Oikawa is grateful for the distraction. However, it turns out that he has been lured into a death trap.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello and Happy Halloween! :) Well, it's hardly Halloween here or elsewhere, but whatever. I'm not even sure if I'm capable of writing scary stuff and it's also my first time writing each of the characters. But I suppose there's a first time for everything. That's why if you feel like it, please let me know what you think as soon as the story is done. Also, please don't question why these four pretty setters are living together. I just wanted them to, so for this story they do.

Have fun!

* * *

 **ripper:** So, what are your plans for Halloween?

 **majesty_from_space:** I'm gonna watch some horror flicks and probably rewatch some episodes of The X Files.

 **ripper:** Wtf. Not even gonna go to a party? That sounds tremendously lame. I won't be able to look at myself in the mirror if I let his majesty waste away at home.

 **majesty_from_space:** Haha. Thx for your concern, but it's unnecessary. I'm not alone at Halloween. (*≧▽≦)

 **ripper:** Oh! So you've got a date. I'm jealous, who's the lucky guy?

 **majesty_from_space:** Well, it's not a date...He's not aware that I like him, but I'm still happy to spend time with him. (｡* ‿* ｡)

 **ripper:** Ah gotcha! It's that hetero childhood friend, amirite? I repeat: what a waste! How about spending Halloween with me? There's this event taking place and we're still in need of one participant.

 **majesty_from_space:** What kind of event?

 **ripper:** It's an outdoor rpg. 6 people against 1 killer. It starts as soon as it's dark and ends either at sunrise or at the moment everyone's killed.

 **majesty_from_space:** Wow! (」゜ロ゜)」

 **ripper:** I hereby invite you, your majesty. I mean if that crush of yours doesn't even know what he's missing out on and you don't plan a love confession, then I think both of you'll survive 1 night apart.

 **ripper:** However, there's 1 rule: You must remain silent about the event as the organizers don't want random people showing up and ruining everything. Besides, the killer needs to stand an actual chance or else it's both unfair and boring. That's why invitations are limited.

 **majesty_from_space:** Damn, now I'm conflicted. It sounds hella fun, but I can't possibly ditch him.

 **ripper:** Then give him an excuse. As long as you don't tell him about the event, it's fine. You told me before that he isn't a big fan of Halloween to begin with, so I bet he's gonna be celebrating if your highness releases him from his duties. ＼| ￣ヘ￣|／

 **majesty_from_space:** You remember that detail? Haha. Somebody's obsessed with me. But I can't hold it against you, I AM GORGEOUS. Jk. (ಡ艸ಡ)

 **ripper:** Well, I'm desperate here. I'd really like to finally meet you. And what better circumstances than a fight for survival? If that doesn't do the trick and makes us thick as thieves, then Idk what does. You can watch horror films with him every year. This event's probably not gonna be an annual thing.

 **majesty_from_space:** Lemme think about it.

 **ripper:** I guess, I've got no choice. I can't take the invitation back bc now you know about the event, so if you don't come, I'm not sure it'll take place.

 **majesty_from_space:** How mean! C'mon, don't put pressure on me now. Does it have to do with that rule? Even if I were to decline, I wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, I don't even know the location yet...

 **ripper:** That won't be enough. Well, just think about it and write me sometime tonight. I'd be happy to have my Scully by my side. I'm off now.

* * *

Oikawa huffed. He supposed his online friend was pissed now, but there was no way in hell he would ditch Iwaizumi for a stranger. Admittedly, a stranger he liked and trusted. A stranger whom Oikawa could tell things that weren't meant for his best friend's ears. And he was definitely more eager to talk about space and its wonders than Iwaizumi. Still, Oikawa rather pissed off a stranger than Iwaizumi – best friend since childhood and secret crush since middle school. Then again, the event really sounded interesting.

But Oikawa doubted it could be more awesome than having Iwaizumi around. Indeed, he wasn't going to confess on Halloween. Even though he was an enthusiast, it just wasn't the right atmosphere. Besides, he would probably rather die than confess to Iwaizumi since that'd ruin their relationship forever. He might not be Iwaizumi's boyfriend, but he was his best friend. He was _something_ to him, so he wouldn't give that up for _nothing_. As long as he could pretend to be Iwaizumi's number one, everything was good. He swatted away the mental image of a future where he wasn't the most important person to Iwaizumi.

Oikawa grabbed his phone and made his way to the kitchen where he knew Semi and Akaashi were currently preparing dinner. Due to each of their busy schedules they often ended up eating at the canteen in their university or opted for take-out or instant dishes. Although the meals in university weren't bad, nothing beat taking their time and eating self-cooked dinner at home. When Oikawa entered the kitchen, Semi put a bowl with stew on the table. From what he could tell there weren't only vegetables in it, but also meat. The scent of grilled mackerel and miso soup was mouth-watering and the first bowl was followed by another with cucumber salad.

"This looks amazing!"

"Ah, you've come at a good time, Oikawa," Akaashi said. "We're almost done here. Sit down."

Oikawa nodded and joined Sugawara at the table who was equally mesmerised by the food in front of him.

Oikawa laughed. "Now, don't drool all over it."

Sugawara rewarded him with a roll of his eyes and a huff, but he assured him hilariously sincere that he wouldn't.

 _Materia Primoris_ _–_ Oikawa's ringtone _–_ made all of them flinch in surprise. He apologized and immediately lowered the volume before checking his messages on LINE.

 _It's from Makki_ , he noted.

The content of the text message made Oikawa gasp. It was a picture of Iwaizumi kissing a girl. He couldn't tell what she looked like because her back faced the camera, but Iwaizumi he recognized easily. Oikawa couldn't see his face, but there was no doubt it was him. Uncharacteristically for him, Hanamaki wasn't making jokes about it. No "how dare your husband cheat on you", "are mommy and daddy getting a divorce now."

Nothing.

Oikawa had never admitted his feelings, but Hanamaki and Matsukawa probably suspected something. And apparently Hanamaki suspected that this picture literally was going to stab him as his short "sorry" suggested. Oikawa wanted to be angry with Hanamaki because he wanted to remain clueless. But if this was Iwaizumi's girlfriend, then he'd probably hear about her on Halloween. Oikawa guessed that Hanamaki sent it to him so that he'd mentally prepare himself and face reality without bursting into tears.

But two days weren't enough. Oikawa instantly had the urge to run far away.

He asked Hanamaki what the context was and when he had taken the picture. Hanamaki explained that he wasn't the one to take it, but a friend from the same university as him and Iwaizumi. The guy sent it to him today, but the date had been last week. Oikawa took a breath before typing an excuse and a thanks. He raised his head and caught his room mates staring at him.

"You're as white as a sheet," Sugawara said and put a hand on his arm. "Bad news?"

"Sort of, but let's not talk about it. It's nothing too serious."

Even Oikawa thought it was the understatement of the year. His heart was broken and he felt ashamed for it. He should be happy for Iwaizumi like a best friend should and he wasn't Oikawa's boyfriend, so it was none of his business who Iwaizumi dated as long as he wasn't harmed by the relationship.

If Oikawa didn't want to screw up, then he had no other choice, but to avoid confrontation for now. He didn't know how he had managed it, but until now Iwaizumi remained blind to his feelings. If he saw him in two days, he couldn't act as always.

"Anyway, I've new plans for Halloween," Oikawa explained.

"Huh? Isn't Iwaizumi-san coming over?" Akaashi looked concerned. "Is he alright?"

"Of course, he's splendid. Believe me if something was up with him, I wouldn't be still sitting here."

"That's true," Semi mused and still heaved a sigh of relief.

All of them knew Oikawa and Iwaizumi due to their years of playing Volleyball which was why they started living together when they realized they went to the same university. After all this time, of course, everyone got to know each other better and became friends – Iwaizumi as a regular guest included.

* * *

As soon as he had cleaned up together with Sugawara, Oikawa excused himself and went to his room. He texted "ripper" that he woud come along. His online friend didn't hide his excitement and provided Oikawa with the final information and a reminder not to share it with anyone.

His next move was to break that rule. He was already a coward for running away from Iwaizumi, but he didn't want to add to his crimes. And he really didn't see the harm in telling Iwaizumi. Sure, perhaps the fact that literally nobody knew where they were kind of added to the scary atmosphere, but Oikawa didn't care. He even gave up the exact time and location.

Iwaizumi replied with the speed of light.

* * *

 **Iwa-chan 10:23**

Oi Shittykawa, I was looking forward to that evening! Also, it sounds super suspicious. Does that invitation come from that guy with the creepy username? I told you to cut ties with him.

 **Me 10:25**

Awww! Iwa-chan, are you worried about me? Don't worry. I'm a grown man (still slightly taller than you ;D) and I can take care of myself. He's a really nice guy!

 **Iwa-chan 10:30**

Actually, I think I'm 1 cm taller than you, Trashykawa. And how can you trust a guy you've never met? What if he's a murderer/stalker/rapist? You shouldn't meet him alone. It doesn't matter who you're, past and present prove that nobody's safe.

 **Me 10:32**

Well, following your logic, it doesn't matter if you've met the person before or not. Even a friend you've known forever might turn out to be a psycho or pervert. And! I'm not alone. There are a few other people as well.

 **Iwa-chan 10:34**

He'd be lying, Tooru.

 **Me** **10:36**

I'm sorry for ditching you, but this sounds really cool. Certainly we're allowed to use our cell phones, so I'll keep in touch with you. Ok?

 **Iwa-chan 10:37**

Fine, I guess. Write me before you leave. Good night and have fun – and take care.

 **Me 10:38**

Good night, Iwa-chan.

* * *

He felt tempted to add a "I love you", but thank god his brain wasn't completely rotten yet. But it really moved him how worried Iwaizumi sounded – even calling him by his given name which rarely occurred nowadays. Damn! Oikawa already knew that spending time with Iwaizumi was far more worthwhile than any rpg and the image of Iwaizumi feeling utterly disappointed or worried warmed his heart. But, alas! He needed the distance.


	2. Chapter 2

Upon arriving, Oikawa greeted everyone with a wave of his hand and a charming smile. A second later he was pressed into a soft body. A young woman had pulled him into a tight hug and she welcomed him with a flirty purr. Putting a delicate hand on his chest, she said: "You're exactly the eye candy that I've imagined."

Oikawa defied the urge of his brow to shoot up, instead, he forced his smile to stay put. Having women and men swoon over him instantly was neither new nor absolutely unwelcome, but he rarely met people so assertive. He really wanted to be polite, but when that woman's fingers inched towards his crotch, he grabbed them and pushed her gently, but firmly a step away from him.

"Sorry, sorry. Kidding! Just extremely happy to see you and wanted to mess with you for a bit," he was told. "Name's Mizushima Rio, but you know me as _ripper_."

Oikawa felt numb. His online friend was female? There was a voice in his head screeching: _Betrayal! Fucking liar!_

Clearly, Oikawa had no problem with women. The part where they bonded over being into men was also not what made his blood boil. Actively pretending to be a gay man was the problem. Not bisexual, but homosexual. Nope, Oikawa had definitely never simply assumed or misunderstood. She told him how her parents had reacted to her _coming-out_ and how her first time with her _boyfriend_ had been.

Oikawa was uncertain if he should demand an explanation right now. He had come to have fun and forget for a few hours that his heart was most likely broken beyond repair. Yeah, he was still young, but he always considered himself lucky to have found his soulmate in his childhood friend. Well, he supposed, it was rather unlucky because Iwaizumi clearly hadn't got the memo.

Thinking about Iwaizumi, he realized that perhaps it served him right that he had fallen victim to deception. After all, he was deceiving his friend as well. His thoughts drifted to his reply to Iwaizumi earlier:

" ** _Even a friend you've known forever might turn out to be a psycho or pervert."_**

 **He had written that specifically to wound himself and tease his friend into denying it and telling him that there was nothing to fear for them. Oikawa felt cruel.**

 _Calm down_ , he told himself. _So she lied. Don't be the pot calling the kettle black._

Even though he was merely withholding information for now, surely, if Iwaizumi ever asked him directly he wouldn't have the guts to confirm being also into guys, especially into a certain someone, so Oikawa would probably lie to his face. Basically he was doing the exact same thing, right? He really didn't want things to be awkward between Iwaizumi and him. Should he be even grateful for being given a glimpse of what Iwaizumi would feel like if his feelings were ever revealed? Best friends were supposed to be honest with and trust each other. If Oikawa couldn't trust Iwaizumi not to feel disgusted, then he might not deserve Iwaizumi to begin with. Even if Iwaizumi happened to be okay with every sexuality beside heterosexuality, he would be deeply disappointed in Oikawa's lack of trust and the lies he has told.

 _Stop thinking about this right now_ , he told himself because it made him feel nauseous.

He finally freed himself from those negative thoughts and introduced himself properly to Mizushima. The smug impression on her face told him that she was perfectly aware of the effect she had and still didn't feel sorry at all for whatever reason. There was no way she was thinking he would react kindly to the web of lies she had woven. Oikawa gritted his teeth. Ushijima and Kageyama could attest that Oikawa was faithful to his grudges. Unlike her, Oikawa had been clear ever since the moment they came out to each other (or at least he did) that he was bisexual. Why would she pretend to be a guy? Well, of course, the internet was home to an immense amount of people pretending to be something they aren't, so maybe he shouldn't be surprised. However, if she ever had hoped to meet him, which she had made clear on several occasions, Mizushima should have told him. Apparently what she absolutely didn't know was that she had ruined their friendship. If at least she acted as if she felt regretful for lying through her teeth. But no. She was grinning at him. Not sweetly, but fucking smugly.

 _Look at her being so proud of herself for giving me this surprise._

"Oh, what a cute little pout you've got there!" Mizushima actually squealed. It didn't sound awful, but Oikawa's mind was loyal to him and compared the squeal to fingernails on a chalkboard simply to spite her. Unfortunately, that backfired. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he instantly cradled his fingers protectively against his chest. Additionally, he was pissed that his mixture of scowl and pout had no effect on her. Yeah, Oikawa was positively pissed.

"Now, want to meet the rest? We don't have a whole lot of time."

Oikawa nodded. He was looking forward to the other participants – hoping he could find somebody to get along with, so that he could ditch Mizushima at the first opportunity. He really wondered if she had been messing around with him ever since they first chatted. If she thought he would be kind enough to overlook this, then she has been gravely mistaken.

It was somehow no surprise that most participants were male. The only exceptions were Mizushima and a younger blonde woman named Yachi Hitoka. While Kenma and Kuroo seemed to be close friends, Yachi and Tendou appeared to be on their own. The only person connecting them all was Mizushima.

"As soon as we're there, we're going to split up," Mizushima announced and cut off all intentions of smalltalk.

"We shouldn't separate at all," Kenma spoke in a voice that didn't express concern or fear. He was simply stating. "That's what they always do in horror films, and bitterly regret if they get the chance to."

Mizushima narrowed her eyes. "Let me finish," she hissed. "Everyone starts on their own and after some point you may form pairs. Since we're allowed to fight back, it'd suck for the killer if we all ganged up on him, no?"

Since Tendou seemed to be a pain in the ass, Oikawa used his charm on Yachi in hopes of winning her over as a partner. She turned out to be the easily intimated type, so she wasn't easily persuaded, even though she didn't outright refuse his offer. She was simply reduced to a shivering and stuttering mess. Clearly, Oikawa didn't have to rely on his amazing observation skills to deduct that. He wondered why somebody like her was here then. Had she lost a bet? While men seemed to be the main reason for her behavior and they made her nervous, Oikawa caught Yachi glaring at Mizushima. Did they have

Obviously, since she stood right beside him, Mizushima didn't miss his attempt. "I hope it goes without saying that we're going to stick together. I think it's best for Tendou and Yachi to team up since they're alone."

"No offense," Tendou said with a frown. "Actually, can't promise it's not offensive, but you totally look like someone who's gonna drag me down."

"There's no doubt that your words are offensive," Oikawa whined, while Yachi's first reaction was for her body to freeze and turn pale. Then she quickly moved on to begging, even though she clearly seemed conflicted. Oikawa supposed that she wasn't exactly comfortable with spending time with that jerk, but the prospect of wandering through the forest on her own sounded even less appealing. However, Tendou didn't waver and declared that she was on her own, unless someone else sacrificed himself.

"It'd be happy to have Yachi as my partner," he stated and ignored Mizushima's gasp. Instead he focused his attention on Yachi and gave her a smile. Her eyes widened in response, but she didn't seem to mind the idea. "I don't think it'd put the killer on such a big disadvantage if we let Yachi come along."

Before Mizushima got the chance to say something, Kuroo cut in with a tortured groan and rolled his eyes for everyone to witness. "How about we postpone the cheesy drama and start with the game? I came here to have a good time."

Mizushima cleared her throat and Oikawa turned his eyes to her. While his declaration had most certainly caught her off-guard, she was awfully collected in an instant as if he hadn't affected her at all. Perhaps Oikawa was lucky enough and she was proud enough to start avoiding him from now on.


	3. Chapter 3

Honestly though, I got to be the only person on the entire internet who's updating a halloween fanfiction in June. Seriously, if I keep this up it's going to be finished next Halloween. (ノ∀￣〃)

 **Me 05:08**

 _Hey, we're leaving in about 5 min, safe and sound so far. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ_

 **Iwa-chan 05:09**

 _Good to hear. I want you to report to me every hour, got it? You know the codeword._

 **Me 05:09**

 _Are you my mom, Iwa-chan?_

 **Iwa-chan 05:10**

 _Know what? Never mind. Go die shittykawa!_

 **Me 05:10**

 _Oh no, Iwa-chan! Don't jinx it!_

 **Me 05:11**

 _WHAT IF I ACTUALLY DIE THOSE ARE UR PARTING WORDS YOUD REGRET IT 4 THE REST OF UR LIFE (⁎˃_ _ᆺ_ _˂)_

 **Iwa-chan 05:12**

 _Right, sorry. Don't be dramatic though. Can see your puffy cheeks from here. Are the others nice?_

 **Me 05:12**

 _Aren't ax-murderer, sooo that's good. Tell you about them later. Some seem like great rant-material._ _＼_ _￣ヘ￣_ _／_

 **Iwa-chan 05:13**

 _Awesome! Can't wait. :)_

 **Me 05:13**

 _Gotta go, everyone's staring at me. Hard to be popular._

 **Iwa-chan 05:14**

 _Ok, be safe. Love you._

Oikawa's heart skipped a beat in response and stared at his phone's display in disbelief. He was about to melt down, he could tell. But Mizushima, for better or worse, pulled him down from cloud nine.

"Gosh, please gimme your phone and get into the car."

Oikawa finally snapped out of it and furrowed his brows in confusion. "My phone?"

"Yeah," she said, already reaching out for it. "No phones. Don't want to risk you guys giving away the location to others."

"You guys got some serious trust issues."

"Come on, don't make a scene. I somehow managed to convince Kenma to give up his. It's for one awesome evening."

Oikawa looked back at his phone. Technically speaking, he hadn't promised Iwaizumi that he was going to make a report every single hour, but there was no need for it. Iwaizumi expected him to do so, trusted him to do so. Even though Iwaizumi was a grump, he had his own ways to show Oikawa how much he cared for him – as a friend, his best friend. He swallowed. Besides, what was up with the "love you"? As close as they were, they never had crossed that line and declared their platonic love for each other.

Mizushima ripped his phone out of his hand and stuffed it into a bag, presumably with the rest of them. "You're keeping everyone waiting. If the event is less important than your phone, then maybe I was wrong to invite you."

Normally, Oikawa wasn't the kind to let other people walk all over him and he really itched to give Mizushima a piece of his mind. However, maybe it was for the best that he didn't have his phone for the next few hours. There was no telling what bullshit his lovestruck cotton candy brain might pull. Iwaizumi might be beyond pissed – then again, maybe he wasn't really serious. No way he would be sitting at home and dutifully wait for Oikawa's reports. Perhaps the first hour, but if his current girlfriend wasn't too shy, then Oikawa would be forgotten within the second hour. That thought caused a less comfortable burn in his chest.

Soon after they left for the forest. Lucky for Oikawa, Kuroo and even Tendou were awesome distraction. They quickly spoke as if they knew each other for years. Unlike them, the other half was less talkative. Most of the time Kenma and Yachi seemed way too shy to actively participate in the conversation. Both, however, answered the occasional questions shot their way. It didn't escape Oikawa how Kuroo's grin and eyes changed slightly whenever Kenma spoke up.

 _Ah,_ Oikawa thought. _Hopefully his love's reciprocated_.

Mizushima on the other hand seemed completely immersed in driving. Maybe that was just the type of driver she was, or maybe she was in a foul mood. Oikawa couldn't tell from his position and he had to remind himself that it didn't matter to him either way. Still, she was kind of their host...

„By the way, Oikawa, didn't you give Yachi a back-handed compliment earlier?" Tendou's narrowed eyes outright sparkled with mirth.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you had complaints about my words, but said that it wouldn't put the killer on such a big disadvantage if Mizushima and you let Yachi join you. Meaning that you too don't consider her serious competition."

Oikawa flinched away in indignation, holding his hand over his heart, "How dare you, the insolence! What slander! Totally not my intention!"

Kuroo broke out into a laughing fit, practically screaming "That face he's making, I can't."

Even Yachi and Kenma struggled to keep their laughter to a minimum, maybe for the sake of politeness or due to their shyness.

"Don't worry, Oikawa-san," Yachi reluctantly patted his shoulder. "Thank you for your kind offer."

Oikawa wasn't sure how much time exactly had passed because apparently nobody wore a good old wrist-watch anymore and he didn't care to ask Mizushima. All he knew was that they had left when it was dark and were surrounded by even darker darkness once Mizushima pulled over and they were swallowed up by the forest. Except for the moon above them, there was no light. Branches swayed furiously, mimicking predators.

"Yeah, this really feels just like a horror rpg," Kuroo murmured. "Hope there isn't a storm coming." Oikawa full-heartedly agreed with him. Running around in the rain didn't sound appealing at all, especially, because Oikawa's vanity hadn't allowed him to bring a rainjacket. Well, that wasn't the only reason. His endless ambition played a part as well because the jacket's yellow color would give him away wherever he went. Last but not least, Iwaizumi the worrywart had given him that jacket some years ago for when Oikawa went star-gazing without him. It served as prevention for being run over by a car (as if Oikawa was still a child) and make it easier to find him in case he got lost (Iwaizumi just couldn't let go of that time when they were twelve and Oikawa got lost in the forest). Given their current situation, Oikawa didn't feel like wrapping himself up in an actual memory of Iwaizumi. Yeah, he was a weak idiot.

Some time later, too much for Oikawa's taste, the car came to an abrupt halt and Mizushima cheerfully announced their arrival. They exited the car and Mizushima had them gather around her in a half-moon.

"It's almost time to start the fun, but there are a few last things I want you to know," she said. "We'll be keeping your belongings in the car because you won't need them and they'll be kept safe. Don't worry, it's impossible to get lost and each one of you'll be equipped with a fully charged flashlight."

Nobody seemed exactly happy with the arrangement, but Oikawa deemed it unlikely that they would go this far to rob some college students who barely had anything of value on them right now. There were easier ways, after all.

"Aren't we going to meet the killer dude?" Kuroo asked and pointedly looked around.

"Well, you will, eventually," Mizushima grinned. "It's more realtistic and exciting to come face to face with a stranger, no?"

Kuroo shrugged.

"As stated before, you may form pairs. But only after the first 'shot' has been fired, got it?"

They nodded.

"You'll all be send off into different directions and one at a time. When I call your name and give you your respective direction, you leave. I expect you to run, run like your life depends on it."

Tendou snorted. "Sounds like we're in Military School."

Mizushima directed a smirk at Tendou, but it wasn't exactly the friendly kind if Oikawa wasn't mistaken. Well, she failed, but she was trying to set the mood, so naturally mockery would piss her off.

After distributing the flashlights, the event finally began. Yachi was the first one who had to leave. Only hesitated for a second, but Mizushima gave her a push anyway that had Yachi stumble. Luckily she caught herself before disappearing into the forest to their right.

"Geez, Mizushima's kind of a douche," Kuroo said in a low voice.

"Yeah," Oikawa agreed. "I wonder why Mizushima even invited her if she can't stand Yachi-san."

"That's all on you though, pretty boy," Tendou hummed. "Mizushima was perfectly civil towards Yachi before you started two-timing."

Kuroo snickered. "Ouch, shots fired. Tendou, really, you don't take prisoners, do you?"

Oikawa flinched. Well, he wasn't ignorant, so he couldn't really negate Tendou's statement. He still had no clue why Mizushima had fooled him and even worse acted as if that was perfectly okay among supposed friends. However, he couldn't deny to have noticed her interest in him – even before today. Ripper had never professed his crush, but for Oikawa it was a piece of cake to distinguish between those who sought a platonic relationship and those who were after a romantic one. If he were in her shoes, he would be pretty jealous and pissed off, too.

"Second one's Tendou!"

Tendou saluted and let out a slurred 'Yessir', before literally skipping towards the East. Oikawa caught Mizushima in the middle of an eye-roll that looked lethal. Tooru watched the other participents run off and found himself soon alone with Mizushima on small clearing. He took an exasperated breath.

"Look Tooru..."

"Oikawa for you."

She visibly winced. "I'm sorry for what I did or rather didn't do. Certainly didn't expect it to be such a problem for you."

"Why did you do it in the first place?"

Her eyes frantically wandered around before finally landing on him again. "At first I felt like I gotta pretend to be a guy to be taken serious. When we started chatting with each other, I was happy. I remained faithful to my image because I wasn't sure you'd be just as willing to discuss things with me if you knew I was female."

Oikawa shook his head. "Okay, that makes sense. But why the hell pretend to be a gay man? I didn't even start that topic, you did."

Mizushima's lips formed into a thin line. "Could we, maybe, discuss that later? It's important to me, and I should've come clean earlier...But I don't want to talk about it in the middle of the woods. Can we just start anew right now?"

Oikawa sighed. "You're right. It would've been nice to know sooner. Did everone else here think you were a guy as well?"

"Yeah, but it was easier to reveal my gender to them because I didn't give a damn what they think of me. But you...you...are...different. I won't...survive losing you..."

There was a shiver running down Oikawa's spine. Her eyes...

"You know, you're right," he increased the distance between them. "Later."

He dashed off westwards.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Oh, look! It's Halloween again. (ノ∀￣〃) Time sure flies by...The story is still not done, but I have written this chunk and a look at the latest date tells me that an inappropriately long period of time has passed by again since the last update, so I thought I give you at least this. However, the fifth chapter definitely will be the final one.

After a combination of running and sidestepping, Oikawa stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of the promised first gunshot (that sounded nothing like a gunshot, he wasn't sure what exactly caused that noise) that was soon followed by a scream. Narrowing his eyes, he took a look around. It seemed awfully close by. Switching off his flashlight, he moved forward carefully. Not using his flashlight wasn't his brightest idea, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. If he did use it, then he would be eventually spotted and have to make a run for it in the end anyway, so sneaking around in the dark didn't seem more dangerous. And, although his eyes were useless when it came to distances, they were completely fine otherwise. They also adjusted to the darkness nicely. Maybe the darkness should have been more unsettling, but since he had been in the forest at night several times before on his own (which had been idiotic, according to Iwaizumi and both their parents), it didn't feel quite as threatening now. Then again, he had known his way back home by heart in Miyagi, while this forest was foreign to him. Still, despite that, his biggest concerns were the constant threat of rain and Mizushima breathing down his neck.

Speaking of that, sudden rapid movement startled him. He couldn't take another step before somebody crashed into him. Oikawa staggered, but was able to keep them both on their feet. It was Yachi's head jolting up instantly, and realizing she was about to scream, Oikawa pressed his hand firmly onto her mouth. He gave her a reassuring smile, but that didn't prevent her from bursting into tears. Even though Oikawa expected her to break down in front of him, she suddenly pulled him along.

"Hey," Oikawa started softly. "It's okay, you're okay. Where you're taking me? Let's just pause for a second and calm down."

But that didn't happen until some time and maybe about a kilometer later. She was shaking so much that Oikawa feared she might faint. Purely nerves – he found out after examining her once they found a spot Yachi deemed far enough away – she was fine otherwise.

"Would you mind telling me what happened?"

She answered him, visibly struggling to keep her voice under control. "Tendou. Dead. Killed."

Of course he didn't exactly know Yachi, barely started to get to know her on their way here, actually. And maybe he should be less trusting after the earlier reminder not to trust anyone easily. But, call him an idiot, something told him, that, despite being apparently easily freaked out and maybe a bit gullible, she wouldn't lie. He refused to accept that Tendou fell victim to an actual murderer though. Didn't want to.

"I can see you're genuinely freaked out," Oikawa said. "But are you sure he was killed and it wasn't just an act to scare you? Tendou could be part of a plot to make us think we're in actual danger."

Yachi sniffed, fighting with her hands against the constant stream of tears running down face. She told Oikawa how she had walked around aimlessly, just like everyone else probably, when her flashlight had given out. Soon after she spotted someone. Tendou, she realized quickly. Hoping to form a temporary alliance despite his earlier refusal, she wanted to call out to him. But before she got the chance to, he suddenly tensed up, staggered, then crumbled down to the ground, screaming in pain. She admitted that she was lucky her voice got stuck in her throat and her legs gave out, otherwise she might have been dead now as well. As if knowing that wasn't enough to convince Oikawa, she continued on and he shivered at the conclusion of her report.

"Three people came from behind him, and one of them had an axe and the others had sharp weapons too. And they hit Tendou repeatedly. If that shot didn't kill him, then their attack sure did. I'm sure they didn't know I was there. So, who did they put on a show for?" Yachi fell silent and buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. Yachi was clearly holding back and Oikawa assumed that she didn't do it out of shame but precaution.

Oikawa was left speechless, feeling sick in his stomach. No matter if it was real or fake, that was some fucked up shit. Judge him if you want, though, but his head hadn't fully accepted it yet. But he wouldn't make her show him the evidence. He didn't want to see it. It was much more comfortable pretending it was fake. Besides, for all he knew, she could be in it too. Although, if so, she was a damn talented actress.

Oikawa didn't know how to comfort or calm her down properly. No matter what he tried, he probably was bound to fail. Yachi was certain to have seen a person be killed after all. A hug was only first aid. But words were no better. Still, he offered her some physical comfort in case she needed it. She didn't hug him, but she got closer and leaned against him. He gave her some more time to get as much of the first shock out of her system as possible, meaning until she stopped crying and could breathe again.

"We need to warn the others," Oikawa decided. If what she saw was no play, then they had no time to lose. When Yachi raised her head, there was clear reluctance in her eyes and he couldn't blame her. To be honest, his first instinct had been to grab Yachi and making damn sure they both escaped. Not without caring for the fate of the other participants, but simply trying to save himself and Yachi who he had at hand. He wasn't brave, not brave enough to face actual killers anyway. And he had no intention of playing the hero who would take them down or die trying. But leaving without warning as many as possible didn't sit right with him in the end either. Nobody could blame him to make his own safety a priority. However, Oikawa knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing well that he had done nothing. "And, we need to keep moving anyway or else we end being sitting ducks. I believe it's fair enough that we don't go out of our way to look for everyone else, but if we see someone, we should warn them. And we need to get to the car to call the police."

"I don't know where to go though," Yachi admitted with a croaky voice. "I haven't got a clue where exactly we are for that matter."

That made two of them. He hadn't followed a straight path, after all. Mizushima had assured them that getting lost was impossible, but considering her involvement, there was a chance she was an accomplice. Her words hadn't meant much to him in the past hours, now they really meant nothing. Gritting his teeth, Oikawa stood up. He didn't know if those involved were more familiar with the area – they might have an advantage. He also couldn't be certain who of his new acquaintances he could trust for that matter. Not really. But maybe it was save to assume that all players, aside from Mizushima, were trustworthy.

Well, considering the other men hadn't gone home as soon as they saw Mizushima, hadn't punched her in the face or had behaved pissed off, maybe Oikawa and Yachi were the only victims of Mizushima's previous deception. He was curious to learn more about the circumstances leading to this event, he wanted to understand. However, getting out alive was more important than receiving answers for now. As soon as their survival was secured, he could try to get his answers.

"They planned this, so they likely made sure to know the area like the back of their hand."

Since they were afraid someone might hear them, they didn't run, even though they really wanted to hurry. But also, without a definite destination they would just waste stamina needlessly. He was not exactly a fighter, but he had speed and endurance to rely on, but Yachi seemingly lacked both. As he was trailing after Yachi, he had time to study her outline and then it suddenly hit him. A sense of familiarity. Oikawa almost let out a gasp. She was the girl on the picture! There was no mistake. He would never forget the sight of Iwaizumi kissing that girl. Oikawa pressed his lips flat. His first impulse was to push her. He could be petty and enough of an asshole to give in to that childish impulse. If the situation was different. For fuck's sake, he was no psychologist, but she probably was already traumatized. He shut his eyes tightly and took a deep breath, willing his jealousy to disappear.

 _At least she's a cute and friendly girl_ , he told himself. _I can leave Iwa-chan in her hands. It's totally fine._ Maybe he wouldn't have to pretend to get along with her in time. Annoyed at himself, Oikawa rubbed his stinging eyes with the heel of his hands. _We have a more pressing problem, Shittykawa._

"Mizushima," Yachi's voice broke, but she swallowed and continued. "She used me." He slowed down enough so that they could go side by side. "If I die, I just...I want to make things right. Hopefully."

Oikawa tilted his head and studied her face, quickly realizing tears were welling up again. "Of course you can tell me if you're comfortable enough and it makes you feel better. But please stay optimistic, even if it looks bad right now."

"It has to be you," her voice broke again, she swallowed and continued. "Because I know you were the one I hurt with my actions...I mean, she didn't tell me your name, but her reaction upon seeing you gave it away. Oh god, it's all so despicable. Shimizu-san..."

Oikawa had no clue who Shimizu-san was, it didn't matter. More importantly, what was Yachi talking about? Aside from apparently having taken Iwaizumi, he couldn't think of how she possibly wronged him. "Sorry, Yachi-san. I can't follow you." That wasn't entirely true. It wasn't quite appropriate, but Oikawa's heart fluttered by the mere possibility. He needed assurance though.

"She made me go on a date with Iwaizumi-san and told me to give him a kiss," Yachi glanced at him, her posture told him that she was afraid to be punched in the face. "I...I didn't kiss him. He stopped me before I could. I'm sure she arranged that meeting so that she could catch Iwaizumi-san red-handed. I was probably invited to be punished and now I'm going to be killed!" Yachi covered her face with her hands. "All I wanted was somebody to comfortably talk about Shimizu-san. I didn't expect that online friend to use her as leverage. I trusted Mizushima."

Oikawa felt dizzy. He felt inappropriately joyous to hear that Yachi wasn't Iwaizumi's girlfriend and they hadn't really kissed. But he was also astonished how fucking manipulative and despicable Mizushima was. _Iwa-chan was right all along_. Now he had no doubt left that she was involved in this situation.

"Yachi-san, listen. Iwaizumi is extremely important to me, in fact, I love him. And yes, it took some detours, but the photo ended up on my display. It broke me. But don't be hard on yourself anymore, I don't even have to think twice about forgiving you. I can see that you were plenty hurt yourself in the process. Mizushima's the bad guy here. She lied to me and considering to what length she went hoping to get my affection, I suppose, that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Bitterly, he remembered the hours he had wasted on Mizushima. Their latest conversation via the chat was of course the one that replayed inside his head the most. Now that he knew Mizushima wasn't quite right in the head, the signs seemed so obvious. She was a stalker. No, after this night she was going to be much more than this.

"Did you tell anyone that you're here today?"

Yachi shook her head slowly. "Did you?"

Oikawa stared at her for a moment, trying to assess her. Ultimately, he just went ahead and admitted that he had told Iwaizumi where they initially all met up. "But since I didn't even know myself where we could end up eventually, that's the only information he got."

Yachi hummed, turning from hopeful to crestfallen again. "It's really strange how suddenly when you're about look Death in the eye, you suddenly find the courage and will to do and say things you never dared to before," she whispered.

Oikawa hadn't quite given up himself yet, but she had a point. If Iwaizumi were to magically appear inside this forest, Oikawa wouldn't hesitate anymore. He would tell him without further ado how he felt about him.

"And if they were to reject us, there are plenty of people around here who would be happy to end our misery," Oikawa replied. Both couldn't help, but chuckle. But all humor, even the dark kind was gone, when Yachi flinched beside him. At first he thought she had seen someone, but then he watched her hands shoot up to her throat and grabbing it. Oikawa's eyes widened and a curse slipped over his lips at the sight before him. Something long stuck in her neck, although it made it sound like an accident when it definitely wasn't. It was an arrow. A fucking arrow had pierced through the tender flesh and muscle of her neck. She wasn't dead yet, but she was going to bleed out if nobody helped her. Oikawa was about to close the distance between them when another arrow barely missed him. Considering that the archer had successfully hit her in the darkness, Oikawa was probably extremely lucky. Yachi fell over finally and that finally shook him awake, made him turn around and abandon Yachi.

His mind told him to rush over to her and grab her. To not leave her behind, even if she might die in his arms later on. It didn't feel right to leave her with them when her body hadn't even stopped moving, hadn't even grown cold yet. Would they let her die in peace, give her a quick death or would they torment her until it was over? A shudder went through his body that refused to yield to his will and conscience. He was still running when his lungs started burning. His sprint was put to an end by carelessness and a vicious root catching one of his feet, tripping him. With a yelp, he plunged down a steep slope. He did hit his head once, but it wasn't too bad. The dizziness was short-lived. He couldn't say the same for the searing hot pain in his right knee though. It had had a frontal collision with a rock. Oikawa bit his lower lip to muffle the cry of pain crawling up rapidly in his throat, changing it into a groan. He squinted his eyes, feeling a familiar sting. His fingers found their way to the knee, feeling an alarming wetness. Blood, obviously. His first impulse was to curse his bad luck, but he quickly accepted this turn of events. Karma was tapping on his shoulder, wasn't it? His eyes snapped open when he heard his name coming from his left and right. Fearing that he had been discovered by the killers, he tried to pick himself up, but to no avail. He had become the sitting duck, after all. __Serves me right__.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So, I successfully dodged Halloween yet again. Aren't we all glad about that? Thank god... Just imagine the characters wearing Santa Claus hats and it's pretty much a Christmas fic! ⌒(≧▽° ) Anyway, this is the end! Thanks for reading!

As the voices called out to him again, he finally realized with both dread and joy who had come for him. He didn't care for the danger his action promised when he screamed for Iwaizumi until Oikawa saw him rushing towards him. Hopefully, he wasn't hallucinating or dead. Likewise, he had no idea if this was a sign of mercy or punishment. After all, if Iwaizumi was really inside the forest, Oikawa could see him and confess his true feelings. But it also meant Iwaizumi was in great danger and they were probably going to die together among these trees.

"Tooru," Iwaizumi spoke softly. "So glad to see you. Are you okay? Why didn't you keep in contact?" Oikawa was promptly crushed in a hug that he wholeheartedly reciprocated.

"Not really," Oikawa whispered, letting out a whine. "My knee. Mostly...Some scratches and wounds as well, I bet. I'm fucking dirty all over. I feel horrible."

Iwaizumi loosened his grip and pulled out his phone to inspect the knee. It was not a pretty sight his flashlight revealed.

"Fuck," Iwaizumi spat. "We gotta take care of it."

He rummaged through his backpack, finally pulling out a medical kit. Hissing, Oikawa jerked his knee away from the preying hands and the disinfectant. Even the barest of touches burnt like hell. "Hold still, Shittykawa. I think I've got some painkillers somewhere, too."

While Iwaizumi was busy with his injuries, Oikawa told him what was going on. Needless to say, Iwaizumi was speechless. For about a minute.

"Damn it, Shittykawa. I knew something was off about that ripper. I just can't let you out of my sight. Fuck."

"Iwa-chan. You need to call the police. Now. If we don't get help soon, we're all going to be dead."

"I'm on it."

"What the fuck is he doing here, and why call the cops?"

Both Oikawa and Iwaizumi flinched at Mizushima's arrival. She stalked towards them and her gaze on Iwaizumi had Oikawa's blood turn cold. Something flickered inside them. Something sinister, Oikawa thought. Maybe she was considering, doing god knows what to Iwaizumi. Fortunately, Iwaizumi's buff build and the scowl on his face seemed to bring these thoughts to a screeching halt. Mizushima kept a telling distance between them.

"Yachi and Tendou are dead." Oikawa was interested to see how she would react to the news. A lot pointed to her being an accomplice in this killing spree. Her reaction, however, didn't ease his suspicions one bit, no, it only solidified them further. Granted, she seemed genuinely surprised, mildly so though. Oikawa much rather had seen her shocked. Her words following the news were outrageous.

"Oh," she said, then shrugged her shoulders. "Not much of a loss if you ask me."

Cold as ice. Somehow, however, unlike Iwaizumi, Oikawa didn't even bat an eye because Mizushima simply acted according to his expectations. So while Iwaizumi cursed Mizushima aloud and passionately, "what the fuck's wrong you, people are dead", Oikawa intervened, "Iwa-chan, call them."

"You bet your ass I will!" Without letting Mizushima out of his sight, Iwaizumi got his phone. While Iwaizumi was busy speaking to the police, Oikawa decided to have the heart to heart that Mizushima had wanted earlier.

"You know, I've been wondering why you invited them if you hated their guts," Oikawa said to Mizushima, scoffing. "But now it's all clear. That's the sole reason they were here. You're disgusting."

"I think I've been obvious enough about my feelings for you," Mizushima answered, a little miffed, "If you believe nothing else at all I say, then at least believe that I had no intention of putting you in harm's way. Or myself for that matter."

"I recall you saying that a fight for survival will be a great opportunity for us to get closer," Oikawa retorted. "And if you're in cahoots with those bastards, I'm sure they'll spare you."

"I don't have anything to do with that," Mizushima insisted, hissing. "Innocent until proven guilty, right?"

"More like guilty until proven innocent in this case," Oikawa hissed back, "It'd be the dumbest thing ever to trust you again. If we survive, I don't want to ever see you or hear from you again. And don't bother coming to my funeral! What were you imaging? Despite all the lies you fed me, we'd reconcile as the sole survivors of this tragic night? Fuck you!"

"No, fuck you! I worked hard for it, so I deserve that happy ending. You've got no idea how many days and nights I spent to become a person you'd allow close to you. How dare you judge me for it? Have you ever put so much effort into being with a person you loved?" She was peering at Iwaizumi. Oikawa's heart started to beat excessively.

"Next you're going to tell me, our meeting at the chat was not a stroke of luck – or as of now bad luck."

Mizushima had the audacity to look hurt briefly before her gaze hardened again. "Of course it wasn't. __I deserve praise for my work__.When I want something, I do everything to get it. I'm dedicated."

"Despite the research you apparently did, you really know shit about me. I'm an approachable person. Instead of doing all this shit you could have come to me– you clearly were closer to me this entire time than I knew–and we could have tried being friends. Unless you actually thrive in stalking people."

"As if! I'd have been just like every other girl. Maybe you'd have been kind to me – the distance wouldn't have lessened. You'd have forgotten about me in a heartbeat. Your head's filled with Iwaizumi only – and that's what's really disgusting here," Mizushima snapped back, eyes fiery. "Don't you agree, Iwaizumi?"

Iwaizumi didn't reply, so Oikawa's head snapped to him. A look at him was enough to tell that the words came as a surprise to him.

"You followed him, didn't you?" Mizushima laughed. "No better than me, I see. You really know how to pick them, Oikawa. I don't get at all what you see in that neanderthal."

"How dare you – " Oikawa gritted his teeth.

He didn't get much further because Iwaizumi cut in. He had lowered his gaze in response to her accusations, but it rose with a glint in his eyes. "It disgusts me that I heard it from you, you fucking snake!" He turned to Oikawa, his steely gaze instantly turning softer, and dare Oikawa say, hopeful. "Is it true?" Iwaizumi looked vulnerable posing that question as if afraid Mizushima was simply mocking them both.

"Yeah, I love you," Oikawa's reply was barely above a whisper. He regretted not having said it much sooner, somewhere else, where he was alone with Iwaizumi. It sucked Mizushima of all people had spoilt his love confession. "You don't hate me now, right?" Oikawa did feel like his question was redundant.

"Didn't you hear me? Never!" The firmness had Oikawa's heart racing, and it was going up in flames when Iwaizumi added, "I love you too, you idiot."

Mizushima gagged, finger in her throat and all, for which she earned scornful looks. "If you kiss, I'll stab you," she said. Everyone knew it was an empty threat for a change.

"Oh, I'll kiss him," Iwaizumi said grinning, maybe purposely aiming to rile Mizushima up."Not now though. Not with you around. Didn't go as you expected, huh?"

"Love conquers all," Oikawa added with a smug voice. He felt guilty for his giddiness, but Iwaizumi's miraculous appearance was a ray of light in the darkness. His confidence was returning. With Iwaizumi by his side, they could manage everything."And Iwa-chan's forgiven because he actually cares about me and was worried. He didn't come after me for selfish reasons."

Mizushima rolled her eyes. "So when your beloved Iwaizumi stalks you it's okay, but it's creepy when I do?" She huffed, "Maybe it's a good thing he's here after all – these psychopaths can have him for all I care. I'm over this."

"We'll survive and sue your shitty ass!"

Iwaizumi raised a brow. "You sound awfully relaxed. If you've got nothing to do with this, aren't you going to be in trouble too if we don't manage to outrun them?"

A mirthless laugh followed. "I can manage," Mizushima held her chin high. "I'm quite skilled at moving around silently and don't have any dead weight slowing me down."

Oikawa wrinkled his nose, a deep frown on his face.

"Since we've been here for far too long, I'll be gone now. Go die." Mizushima gave them a little wave of her hand, then Iwaizumi and Oikawa watched her sprint off in the promised silence.

"She's got the car keys," Oikawa finally said. He knew Iwaizumi hadn't walked here, so that wasn't the issue. "We won't be able to take Kenma and Kuroo along." If they were alive and the police didn't arrive in time...

However, not a minute had gone by when Mizushima returned. Well, returned, was putting it mildly. Her ashen face dashed towards them at what felt like the speed of light. She crashed right into Oikawa who, mind you, was still on the ground. She picked herself up, only to actually – it had both Iwaizumi and Oikawa flabbergasted – move to hide behind Iwaizumi. Of course the question of what the actual fuck she was doing was automatically at the tip of their tongues, unfortunately, both Oikawa and Iwaizumi guessed she hadn't come back with her tail between her legs because she had spotted some animal. So instead of wasting their breaths, they turned away from Mizushima, facing whatever had her running. Oikawa held his breath in fearful expectation.

Silent and slow, two figures approached them. Oikawa whimpered, pushing himself away from them. He was going to die here, he was sure of it. If his voice hadn't been stuck in his throat, he would have told Iwaizumi to get the fuck out of this forest without looking back. If he dared to tear his eyes off these people, he would have loved to look at Iwaizumi for one last time.

Instead he took in their appearances. It was hard to tell from their attire who he had in front of him. They wore helmets, their faces half-covered with black fabric, and camouflage clothes and boots. They were well-equipped for their hunting trip. Oikawa was certain they had more weapons on them than he could see, in the backpacks they carried for example. It was mind-boggling that they moved around without making much noise despite the weight they were carrying. Who were these people?

Since they didn't hold them at gunpoint yet, Oikawa hoped they didn't have guns and at this proximity, he supposed, they wouldn't shoot arrows. Although, it was a small consolation, almost redundant, considering they had plenty other weapons capable of killing and torturing them.

"Look at that!" Judging by the voice and the stature, a man. "The gang's all here. Now where's the fun in that?" His laugh was muffled by the fabric over his mouth. "Well, almost. One's missing...I see the pretty boy and the stalker, but..." His gaze fell on Iwaizumi. "You aren't bedhead. Hm, I like surprises, don't you?" He turned to his companion who shrugged. "Never mind that. Our friend might run into him."

 _ _Ah__ , Oikawa realized belatedly, the archer was indeed missing.

Even though it was most likely hopeless, he really prayed Kuroo had managed to escape. He also felt his stomach make a turn at the lack of mention of Kenma, refusing to acknowledge the possible meaning behind that. Oikawa didn't dare inquire. Maybe they would be bragging about it soon enough if they actually got Kenma. He was surprised they weren't bothered by Iwaizumi. It seemed they were feeling real confident about their abilities. Oikawa wanted to mock them, to rub it in that it was nowhere near a fantastic feat to lure some weaponless people into the forest and kill them one by one. But it went without saying that Oikawa resisted the urge. It looked as if he was going to die. Still, his death didn't need to end up more gruesome because he couldn't watch his tongue.

Iwaizumi didn't seem to be on the same page, at least his announcement that he had called the police suggested it. Mizushima and Oikawa stared at him in disbelief.

"You can waste your time fighting us, or use it wisely and make a run for it. It's been a while since I ended the call."

Oikawa knew what Iwaizumi was hoping for, but he still couldn't believe his nerves.

"I see," the man replied unbothered. Maybe he was bluffing, or maybe the arrival of the police didn't impress them in the slightest. They weren't visibly freaking out, not trembling in fear as far as Oikawa could tell and they made no move to retreat. Perhaps they thought Iwaizumi was bluffing in hope of scaring them off or the police believed it was a prank, so they wouldn't bother coming here. Worst of all, maybe, was the possibility that these people really didn't give a shit about the police arriving, confident they could handle them. "Would you be so forthcoming, and tell me when that was?"

Iwaizumi hummed thoughtfully as if seriously contemplating it. "Uh, nope, fuck you."

"Ouch. I'm hurt, porcupine. I don't like the addition to the group at all. I should take revenge, shouldn't I?"

Oikawa stopped breathing when the man's eyes were suddenly fixed on him. Iwaizumi didn't allow the eye contact to last longer than a few second before he blocked the view of Oikawa by stepping in front of him.

"You'll have to deal with me first if you want to hurt him."

"A knight in shining armor, huh? Another pair of lovers, I take it? __Heh.__ I love tragic romances!" A snort. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you guys with functioning legs first, I'm confident pretty boy won't be far once we're done with you."

Oikawa shuttered at the prospect of witnessing Iwaizumi's death, incapable of preventing it.

"Don't underestimate me," Iwaizumi growled, hands clenched to fists.

"Admittedly, you do look like a tough opponent," the man mused, scratching his chin.

Each one of them winced at Mizushima's stifled gasp, several pairs widened eyes instantly on her. They observed as she fell over, a knife deep embedded in the back of her head. For the other hunter that seemingly wasn't enough, he wanted to make sure she wouldn't get up again. In a flash, he kneeled next to her, lifted her head and slit her throat. Oikawa didn't think he would ever forget the sounds she made until she fell silent for good.

"You threw that?" The man whistled and gave his companion a thumbs up. Seemingly much less interested in conversation, said companion nodded instead of responding verbally.

"You know, I'd call her stupid for thinking she'd be able to sneak away, while I was busy with you guys...But honestly, that was her last chance, I guess. I'm sure that show there was testimony enough that we too are formidable opponents, and we got a little advantage." He waved a fucking machete around right in front of Iwaizumi's face. Kudos to Iwaizumi for not pissing himself, and trying to look unaffected on top of that. Hopefully only Oikawa could see how much he trembled. "To be sure, our forte isn't close combat. Still, I know either one of us will enjoy strangling or beating pretty boy to death. Only question is, how will I kill you, porcupine?" The machete ended up pointed at Iwaizumi directly.

Surprisingly though, tattle tail handed it over to his companion and shrugged off his backpack, then attacking Iwaizumi with his bare hands. If tattle tail played fair, Iwaizumi might actually stand a chance against him. So maybehe could put tattle tail out of commission. That left tattle tail's other companions, the silent one and the missing archer. The latter might be lurking around somewhere in the distance, ready to shoot arrows if need be.

Soon enough Oikawa had no longer the time to worry about Iwaizumi. They were separated when tattle tail successfully lured Iwaizumi away from him. It seemed the silent hunter had grown impatient rather quickly and decided he didn't want to wait and see who came out of the fist fight victorious. He was extremely eager to kill someone, Oikawa realized, maybe the hunter had Iwaizumi's warning in mind and didn't want anyone to interrupt before he got the chance to kill Oikawa, too. Speaking of that, hadn't enough time passed? Shouldn't the police have arrived by now? Then again, they were quite a distance away from the city. Oikawa had been shaking already, his thoughts and heart racing. He wasn't relaxed in the slightest, but only now, he finally let out a scream. Just one to get it out of his system.

"Woah, is he losing his mind over there?" Oikawa heard tattle tail ask before he groaned as Iwaizumi landed a hit on him. Served him right for getting distracted, he should mind his own business.

Iwaizumi on the other hand didn't turn his back on tattle tail. Still, his hand moved backwards in a reassuring manner as if trying to communicate to Oikawa everything would be alright, that he would keep him safe. It was a sweet gesture, even though Oikawa would rather have held his hand, feeling the warmth of his body melt into his own. Also, it was a wonderful sentiment, however, unlike Oikawa, Iwaizumi couldn't see the silent hunter's cruel eyes. Oikawa probably would be dead before Iwaizumi had the chance to rush to his aid.

"The hell you're expecting, asshole?" Iwaizumi Hajime growled at tattle tail as he dodged a punch aimed at his face. "And didn't you say you'd leave him alone until you're done with everyone else?"

Iwaizumi's eyes fell on Oikawa, offering tattle tail an opening. And even though Oikawa was helpless and terrified, he shouted at Iwaizumi to focus on tattle tail. It went without saying that Oikawa hadn't changed his mind and decided dying was okay with him or he wanted to be a martyr. As immobile as he was, he couldn't even serve as a really useful distraction. Everyone here knew he wasn't going anywhere on his own.

Oikawa's words came too late. Tattle tail shoved the distracted Iwaizumi so hard that he fell to the ground where tattle tail jumped him, planting blow after blow on his face.

"Considering the situation, you're quite collected, porcupine," tattle tail noted, grinning. "And, also I might have said that, but my companion made no such promise."

"I'm not scared of you," Iwaizumi grunted, trying to sound tough as nails, even though he was coughing.

Oikawa knew better. But he supposed, it was no good to act all vulnerable as he had done. They wouldn't show mercy just because they were crying and begging. It probably just pleased them more to see their prey squirm around in desperation for an escape. Or, maybe tattle tail found it entertaining to overpower prey that was a challenge. Iwaizumi got a hold of tattle tails arms and kicked him before pushing him off of him.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but Oikawa averted his gaze from Iwaizumi and faced his potential doom. Would the hunter kill him just like he had Mizushima? A choir of fuck's took over his mind. It was hard to tell what was going through that person's head, seeing that he wasn't as outspoken as tattle tail, but his actions had spoken volumes. There was nothing wrong in suspecting he might be more bloodthirsty and cruel than tattle tail. So far, all their victims weren't even given the chance to fight back. Like cowards, the hunters had rendered them defenseless with arrows from a safe distance as their prey had turned their backs to them before drawing nearer. Yes, Oikawa realized after witnessing Mizushima's death that the same fate had befallen Yachi. He felt sick to his stomach. She had seen the guy who she thought was decent, trustworthy and helpful to her sprint off, abandoning her without looking back. Oikawa buried his face in the palms of his hands, groaning.

A moment in which the man on top of him hit his temple hard, followed by a punch to his nose. Oikawa Tooru's hand automatically reached for his face, but they were pushed away and a pair of cold hands took a hold of his pale neck. They pressed down __hard__. Oikawa choked, his throat desperately fighting against the weight that cut off the oxygen, his hands joining its fight by pushing and punching the massive body on top of him. But to no avail. It didn't give way. Oikawa was getting dizzy, his throat hurting like a bitch and his head felt like it might explode any moment. When his throat was suddenly released, Oikawa was too stunned to react immediately, then he greedily inhaled, even though the air left a trail of flames. As he was coughing, tears pricking at the corner of his shut eyes, he heard a loud noise, a whirring. A helicopter. Oikawa wanted to scream for help. It would have been futile, of course, no matter how you looked at it. No voice beyond a gasp or grunt left his mouth. And even if his voice hadn't been fucked up, it wasn't like the people inside that helicopter would be able to hear him anyway. But it did sound like they were coming their way. Could it be possible the police had taken Iwaizumi's phone call so serious, they were scanning the forest with a helicopter? And he might never know the answer to that because he felt a hard blow to his head and he blacked out, fell into a deep, numb abyss.

Oikawa came to with a start.

"I'm alive," he croaked, feeling sluggish. It took a moment for his vision to clear up, but then his eyes were instantly fixed on Iwaizumi whose face brightened up with a relieved smile.

"Tooru."

Oikawa returned the smile, albeit short-lived because the movement proved painful. His entire head hurt, his throat, too.

"The painkillers should kick in soon," Iwaizumi said, drawing soothing circles over the back of Oikawa's hand. The latter's eyes roved around, realizing he was inside an ambulance. "We're leaving in a bit."

Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi, scanning him for injuries. His face was black and blue, a split lip, the hand holding his own was still bloody. Iwaizumi's hand was about to jerk away, but Oikawa held onto it tightly.

"Don't let go," Oikawa whispered with his scratchy voice. Iwaizumi relaxed again. "What happened. Where..."

Iwaizumi frowned. "I don't want to upset you, you should rest."

"Tell me."

"Stubborn as always," Iwaizumi sighed. "They are retrieving the dead right now. Kuroo and Kenma are alive. However, Kenma's in critical condition, it seems. I don't know if he'll make it."

Oikawa was glad to hear that Kuroo was alive and well enough. But was he really? He imagined Kuroo by Kenma's side, similar to Iwaizumi and himself. No, Kuroo was alive, but he surely wasn't alright. Even if Kenma survived, and Oikawa prayed he did, he wouldn't be okay. Yeah, Oikawa dared speak for them all. They had survived this night, but they were changed forever. It wasn't a happy ending for any of them, although Oikawa was utterly grateful that he was here with Iwaizumi right now.

"What about...the hunters."

Iwaizumi's face darkened, his pressed in a thin line. "They got away."

Oikawa stopped breathing for a second. They would claim more victims, he feared. Would they come after them again? The chances of arresting them seemed incredibly slim.

He choked on a sob, promptly closing his eyes. Iwaizumi squeezed his hand tightly, in an attempt to comfort. But they both knew it wouldn't work. Not only didn't they get a happy ending, this was no end at all. It was just the beginning.


End file.
